Missouri/Illinois Roads - Eads Bridge

Eads Bridge



It's no surprise that I-64 is shiny and not on the faded triplex shield, because it's a much newer route in Missouri. The shield on the left may have a state name, but it's also clearly newer than the one that doesn't. These are on Washington Av. EB, which becomes Eads Bridge here, at Memorial Drive, the I-70 frontage road.


Combine old shield with state name and you get this WB recycled sign blank, on the back of the shiny I-64; click for closeup. There was no use wasting a good state-name shield to patch it over, but that issue is gone now. I presume it once looked like the EB triplex shield.


Looking north at the parallel Martin Luther King [sic; no "Jr."] Bridge as I cross the Eads Bridge into Illinois, briefly part of US 66. The last photo is a railroad-crossing truss from the central MLK Bridge lanes nearing I-55/I-64/IL 3; the outer lanes were added later to eliminate weaving from the inside MLK Bridge merge (or exit) to the I-64 split and I-70 junction, and have no interesting superstructure.


The Eads Bridge feeds into Riverpark Drive in East St. Louis, which crosses under the same railroads as the MLK Bridge truss. The first bridge is now vacant, and much of the second bridge is as well, with a former railyard converted into commercial space.


Looking south at the Gateway Arch and two bridges in the distance as I cross back west into Missouri. The boring one in the foreground is the Poplar St. Bridge, carrying I-55/64/70 and furtive US 40. Behind it is a railroad bridge named MacArthur, exciting for more than just the trusswork. It once had a road deck on top and was one of the routes of US 66 across the Mississippi River.


For a different perspective, I travel EB on the stub of Washington Ave. east of Memorial Dr., down the south side of Eads Bridge. From here, I can see inside the abutments to the MetroLink station within; the trains run as a subway through downtown and come out on the far side of the bridge.

All routes separate, 1st St. NB at Washington Ave.


Now down to the waterfront, first a southward look once more at the MacArthur Bridge.


Looking north along the Mississippi River as I head up Sullivan Blvd., which as you can see is part of the Mississippi River Trail for bicycles (the Mr. T trail, fools).


Sullivan Blvd. SB. To the right, an active rail line passes under the Eads Bridge rail line and then disappears into a series of hillside tunnels.

Over to the M.L.K. Bridge

To I-44
To I-55
To I-70
To I-64
Over to the MacArthur Bridge
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